Shutout Gives Diamondbacks Rare Regular-Season Series Victory at Dodger Stadium

Shutout Gives Diamondbacks Rare Regular-Season Series Victory at Dodger Stadium
Christian Walker gestures toward his teammates in the Arizona Diamondbacks' bullpen after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Los Angeles on May 22, 2024. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)
The Associated Press
5/23/2024
Updated:
5/23/2024
0:00

LOS ANGELES—Ryne Nelson threw five shutout innings, Christian Walker and Ketel Marte hit home runs, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6–0 on Wednesday night, May 22, to win a regular-season series at Dodger Stadium for the first time since 2018.

“We know how good we can play,“ Nelson said. ”If we go out there and bring our game, then these are the kind of results that we'll get.”

The Diamondbacks took the final two games of the series from the National League West-leading Dodgers, who were outscored 17–9 in the three-game set and dropped two in a row for just the second time since April 21. They were shut out for the third time this season, all in series finales.

“You got the team that’s racing ahead in the NL West, and we win two of three. Yeah, we should feel good about it, but we can’t take things for granted,” Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo said. “We did a lot right—we executed, we were focused, and that’s why we won games.”

On their way to a surprise World Series appearance last season, the Diamondbacks swept a three-game set from Los Angeles in a National League Division series, with the first two victories coming at Dodger Stadium.

Nelson (3–3) took over from opener Brandon Hughes and allowed five hits, struck out five, and walked three.

The Dodgers’ power trio of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman were a combined 2 of 11 with three strikeouts.

“We just got to flush this series,” Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said.

Arizona’s Gabriel Moreno walked and Kevin Newman singled before Corbin Carroll’s two-strike triple to right field off Tyler Glasnow (6–3) in the fifth inning. Carroll scored on Glasnow’s wild pitch—his eighth of the season—that bounced in front of the plate, off the left shoulder of catcher Will Smith, and down the third-base line, giving Arizona a 3–0 lead.

Carroll made a stellar leaping catch on a Betts drive at the wall in center field to open the bottom of the first.

“My mom just sent me a video that they got me eating seeds [on the play], so I thought that was kind of funny,” Carroll said. “You don’t want them to get momentum early, get the stadium involved.”

Glasnow committed his first balk since 2018 in the third inning. The right-hander gave up three runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Walker greeted Dodgers reliever Elieser Hernández with a shot that traveled halfway up the left-field pavilion leading off the sixth, his 22nd career homer against the Dodgers. The first baseman had a solo shot in a 7–3 win on Tuesday.

Marte singled in the first and homered off the left-field foul pole in the eighth, extending Arizona’s lead to 5–0 and his hitting streak to 21 games, the longest in the major leagues this season.

Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks scores on a wild pitch as Dodgers catcher Will Smith looks on in Los Angeles on May 22, 2024. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)
Corbin Carroll of the Diamondbacks scores on a wild pitch as Dodgers catcher Will Smith looks on in Los Angeles on May 22, 2024. (Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo)

“He’s locked in, and he’s wanting to show people how good of a player he is,” Mr. Lovullo said. “He continues to prove it to us every single day. The home run was just a pure swing. Really nice day for him.”

Walker doubled and scored from third on a passed ball by Smith.

The D-backs last won a regular-season series in Los Angeles on April 13–15, 2018. It was their first shutout win here since April 2017.

The Dodgers left at least one runner on base through the first six innings of their 13th game in as many days. They had six hits and were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position.

Up Next

Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen (5–3, 3.02 earned-run average) is slated to start Friday’s series opener against the visiting Miami Marlins. Dodgers right-hander James Paxton (5–0, 2.84) is set to start Friday at Cincinnati.
By Beth Harris